By:Chris Munzing
Bill Borman, a human rights activist and the first openly gay member of the Nassau County Human Rights Commission, died last Thursday at age 47 after a lengthy illness.
The Long Beach native was elected to the commission last September by a unanimous vote of 19-0 in the county Legislature after being nominated by County Executive Tom Suozzi, despite initial opposition from the county's Republicans. Borman was a perfect fit for the commission, bringing to it the perspective of a group that has suffered its share of discrimination and attacks. He was a leading activist for gay and lesbian rights and an advocate in the HIV/AIDS community.
Borman founded the Nassau County Lesbian and Gay Democrats in 1999 and sat as a chair in the Nassau Coalition for Human Rights since 1999. He was instrumental in the successful effort to have sexual orientation added to the Nassau County Human Rights Law as a protected category, along with race and gender.
"Bill Borman was a leader in every sense of the word," said Alan Van Capelle, executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda, in a press release issued after Borman's death. "His hard work laid the foundation for a New York where the gay community is more integrated than ever before into the state's social fabric and political life. Bill Borman made all of us more free, and we will never forget that."
The Pride Agenda, a non-partisan lesbian and gay civil rights and political advocacy organization, worked closely with Borman for many years to try to secure rights for the gay and lesbian community.
Legislator Michael Zapson was a friend of Borman's and a longtime backer of his cause. "It's a loss for all of us," said Zapson. "He was somebody you could always count on. Bill was an excellent voice for his community."
Zapson applauded Borman's commitment to furthering the progress of the gay and lesbian community. "He's been very active in various causes and the Democratic organization," Zapson said. "He was working within the system to change it, and I think that's how you bring about change."
Borman was an inspiration to many others, including Barry Jones, president and co-founder of the Gay and Lesbian Foundation of Long Island. "He was, like, one of the true community activists," Jones said of his friend. "I've learned so much from him. He was so loved and respected, no one can say a bad word about Mr. Borman." Jones also expressed sadness that he would not have his friend to help him organize the foundation's many events, adding that assigning people the work that Borman had previously done was very difficult.
Jones said there will be a "Celebration of Life" ceremony at R.S. Jones in Merrick on Sunday, August 24, in which anyone can speak about Borman, a man who helped so many and inspired a community.
Borman was the devoted son of Dorothy and William, the brother of Eileen, Thomas, John and Maureen, and the uncle of Colleen and Patrick Irwin.
Funeral services took place Monday, with a Mass at Sacred Heart Church at 9:45 a.m. Interment will be at the Holy Rood Cemetery. Contributions in Borman's name can be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
